ORIGINAL ENDING WAS BETTER

Rating: 4/10 (18 September 2003)

* CONTAIN ALTERNATE ENDING SPOILER *
Quick run through: Three left-wing activists broke into an animal research lab and released chimps that had been infected with a "rage" virus. Within a few days, almost everyone is infected with the same disease. Humans became "zombie-like" and they attack all non-infected life. A survivor (Jim) wakes up on a hospital's operating table and finds London (England) deserted 28 Days Later...

This movie has an alternate ending but it wasn't very well advertized. Most people in the cinema left when the credits appeared because they did not know about it. I read it on a newspaper review and decided to wait until after the end credits to see if there was really an alternate ending.

The "official release" ending wasn't very good. It was a pathetic saccharin Hollywood-style ending. For other films, happy endings are fine but it did not suit the nature of this particular film which had a dark and bleak theme. Apparently the alternate ending was its original ending and it was circa 4 minutes long but initial studio tests did not sit well with the average audiences. Unfortunately, Danny Boyle was forced to shoot a new ending!
The alternate ending: After the credits, the words - "But what if..." appeared.
When Jim was shot, the three drove out of the compound. The next scene was in a hospital where Selena and Hannah were frantically trying to save Jim from his wound. Jim died on the operating table. This ending was poignant as he woke up on an operating table at the beginning of the film and now he died on an operating table at the end of the film. He had gone a full circle and went back to where he began. Hannah and Selena leaves the hospital with a satisfactory "what now" question left unanswered by the story.

I thought the movie rated 4/10 with the "sweet" ending. Maybe 6/10 with the original ending. The movie was shot on video and eventually transfered to 35mm cinema film neg and pos stock. You'll notice how grainy the movie looked because of DV. It created a documentary feel but it's probably a low-budget production cost factor.